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Translational Andrology and Urology Sep 2023With the general population aging and thus more patients developing bothersome erectile dysfunction, stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder, there will... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
With the general population aging and thus more patients developing bothersome erectile dysfunction, stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder, there will likely be a higher demand for three common interactive implants in urology, the penile prosthesis, artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and sacral neuromodulation (SNM). Further, the prevalence of mild and major neurocognitive disorders (also known as mild cognitive impairment and dementia, respectively) is expected to increase. While the aforementioned urologic implants have excellent short and long term outcomes, there are also known device issues such as malfunction or misuse that may require surgical removal and/or revision. The objective of this narrative review is to describe the association of cognitive impairment and urologic implants.
METHODS
We performed a search on PubMed between the years 1975-2023 for English language articles that reported on any type or severity of cognitive impairment and its association with penile prosthesis, AUS and/or SNM. While peer-reviewed published manuscripts were prioritized, abstracts that fit our search criteria were also included.
KEY CONTENT AND FINDINGS
Data assessing outcomes of patients with cognitive impairment who undergo placement of a urologic implant are limited. There is an association between AUS failure or misuse with cognitive impairment. SNM is efficacious in this population in the short term. In patients who develop dementia, an inflatable penile prosthesis can be deflated via in-office needle puncture and an AUS can be deactivated. The Memory Alteration Test, Quick Screen for Mild Cognitive Impairment and the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination are relatively quick screening tests with good sensitivity and specificity for mild cognitive impairment.
CONCLUSIONS
While data on the association between urologic implants and cognitive impairment are sparse, there are tools that urologists can use to screen patients for cognitive impairment. With screening, urologists can provide appropriate preoperative counseling (including recommending against implantation) and can provide closer postoperative monitoring. Further study is required to assess which patients should be excluded from device implantation and how to properly assess for cognitive impairment in a manner that is both beneficial for the patient and convenient and efficient for a urologist.
PubMed: 37814692
DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-226 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Sep 2023We evaluated the prevalence, distribution, and specialist to population ratio of male and female reconstruction and andrology/prosthetics faculty within United States...
Understanding the prevalence and distribution of fellowship trained female and male genitourinary reconstruction and men's health/andrology academic faculty in the United States.
BACKGROUND
We evaluated the prevalence, distribution, and specialist to population ratio of male and female reconstruction and andrology/prosthetics faculty within United States urologic training programs. Our objective was to help determine the current need/demand for reconstructive fellowship trained faculty for necessary clinical exposure during residency in the midst of a nationwide residency expansion.
METHODS
All non-military urology residency programs were evaluated. Programs were sorted into their American Urologic Association Sections and websites were analyzed for evidence of fellowship training and/or clinical expertise/interest: (I) male genitourinary reconstruction (MGR); (II) female genitourinary reconstruction (FGR) and (III) infertility/andrology/men's health (AMH). The 2020 US Census data was used to determine specialist to population ratios by sections.
RESULTS
Of 137 evaluated programs, FGR had the highest percentage of fellowship-trained faculty (76%) followed by AMH (66%) and MGR (61%). Clinical/surgical interest was noted in pelvic organ prolapse (88%), inflatable penile prosthesis (79%) and urethral stricture disease (75%). Over 10% of training programs had two or more faculty with MGR, FGR and AMH fellowship training. Significant geographic variation amongst academic programs exists with the South and Southeastern parts of the US being relatively underserved, both in percentage of programs with fellowship-trained faculty, and by faculty per 1,000,000 inhabitants.
CONCLUSIONS
The majority of US urology residencies have faculty with fellowship training and/or stated clinical interest in MGR, FGR and AMH. Still, many programs remain without these faculty while others have two or more in their respective fields. The geographic trends noted here have both educational and recruitment significance.
PubMed: 37814690
DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-159 -
Computers in Biology and Medicine Nov 2023This paper presents a computational study to investigate the mechanical properties of human penile tissues. Different experimental testing regimes, namely indentation...
This paper presents a computational study to investigate the mechanical properties of human penile tissues. Different experimental testing regimes, namely indentation and plate-compression tests, are compared to establish the most suitable testing regime for establishing the mechanical properties of the different penile tissues. An idealised MRI-based geometry of the penis, containing different tissue layers, is simulated using the finite element (FE) method to enable realistic predictions of the deformation of the penis. Unlike the linear elastic models used in the literature to-date, hyperelastic isotropic/anisotropic material models are used to capture material nonlinearity and anisotropy. The influence of material properties, morphological variations, material nonlinearity and anisotropy are investigated. Moreover, the implantation of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) is simulated to assess the effects of the implantation procedure, material nonlinearity, and anisotropy on tissue stresses. The results indicate that the interior layers of the penis do not affect the overall stiffness of the penis in the indentation test, while the plate-compression test is able to capture the effects of these layers. Tunica Albuginea (TA) is found to have the most significant contribution to the total stiffness of the penis under load. It can also be observed that buckling occurs in the septum of the penis during the compression tests, and different morphologies dictate different compressive behaviours. There is a clear need for future experimental studies on penile tissues given the lack of relevant test data in the literature. Based on this study, plate-compression testing would offer the most insightful experimental data for such tissue characterisation.
Topics: Male; Humans; Penis; Erectile Dysfunction; Finite Element Analysis; Computer Simulation; Models, Biological; Penile Prosthesis; Biomechanical Phenomena
PubMed: 37797490
DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107524 -
Minerva Urology and Nephrology Apr 2024Quality of Life and Sexuality with Penile Prosthesis (QoLSPP) is the first validated questionnaire to specifically evaluate the satisfaction of patients undergoing... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Quality of Life and Sexuality with Penile Prosthesis (QoLSPP) is the first validated questionnaire to specifically evaluate the satisfaction of patients undergoing penile prosthesis implantation. Our primary aim was to conduct a systematic review and pooled analysis of articles reporting QoLSPP.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A comprehensive bibliographic search on the MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases was performed in April 2023. Studies were selected if they assessed male subjects (P) undergoing penile prosthesis implantation (I) with or without comparison with other treatments (C), reporting the patient satisfaction according to QoLSPP (O). Prospective and retrospective original studies were included (S). The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool and the Knoll method. Means and standard deviations (SDs) of QoLSPP scores were included in the pooled analysis. PROSPERO ID: "CRD42023427261."
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
A total of 10 studies investigating 1105 patients were included in the systematic review; of these, eight articles describing the outcomes of 693 subjects were eligible for the pooled analysis. Overall serious risk of bias was found in 2/3 of nonrandomized comparative studies (66%), while seven single-arm studies (100%) were classified as having a high risk of bias. Pooled analysis of the QoLSPP-Functional domain revealed an overall effect size (ES) of 4.22 points (95% CI 4.04-4.40; P<0.001). The QoLSPP-Relational pooled score was 4.17 points (95% CI 4.03-4.31; P<0.001). The QoLSPP-Social pooled score corresponded to 4.21 points (95% CI 4.02-4.40; P<0.001). Pooled analysis of the QoLSPP-Personal domain showed an overall ES of 3.97 points (95% CI 3.61-4.32; P<0.001). There was insufficient data to pool QoLSPP total scores.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients undergoing penile prosthesis implantation report positive scores in all QoLSPP domains, demonstrating high satisfaction levels. Future studies are needed to improve the evidence on the topic.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Male; Penile Prosthesis; Patient Satisfaction; Sexuality; Penile Implantation
PubMed: 37795696
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6051.23.05466-6 -
Therapeutic Advances in Urology 2023Devices such as inflatable penile prostheses (IPP) can be used to achieve erectile rigidity after phalloplasty in assigned female at birth (AFAB) individuals. The... (Review)
Review
Insertion of inflatable penile prosthesis in the neophallus of assigned female at birth individuals: a systematic review of surgical techniques, complications and outcomes.
Devices such as inflatable penile prostheses (IPP) can be used to achieve erectile rigidity after phalloplasty in assigned female at birth (AFAB) individuals. The approach to inserting an IPP in a neophallus is different and more challenging compared to that of an anatomical penis due to the absence of anatomical structures such as the corpora cavernosa, and the more tenuous blood supply of the neophallus and reconstructed urethra. In addition, the ideal surgical techniques and devices for use in the neophallus have not been defined. This review systematically summarises the literature on the insertion of IPP in the neophallus of individuals AFAB. In particular, the described techniques, types of devices used and peri-operative and patient-reported outcomes are emphasised. An initial search of the PubMed database was performed on 16 September 2022 and an updated search was performed on 26 May 2023. Overall, 185 articles were screened for eligibility and 15 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Two studies reported outcomes on the zephyr surgical implant 475 FTM device and the others reported outcomes on the Boston Scientific AMS 600/700 CX 3-piece inflatable, AMS Ambicor 2-piece inflatable, Coloplast Titan or Dynaflex devices. Overall, 1106 IPPs were analysed. The infection rate was 4.2%-50%, with most studies reporting an infection rate of <30%. Mechanical failure or dysfunction occurred in 1.4%-36.4%, explantation was required in 3.3%-41.6%, and implant revision or replacement was performed in 6%-70%. Overall, 51.4%-90.6% of patients were satisfied and 77%-100% were engaging in sexual intercourse. An IPP in a neophallus is an acceptable option to achieve rigidity for sexual intercourse. However, this challenging procedure has good reports of patient and partner satisfaction despite significant risks of complications.
PubMed: 37719136
DOI: 10.1177/17562872231199584 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Aug 2023Placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) in a transgender patient's neophallus carries unique considerations versus cis-gender IPP placement in mitigating...
Placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) in a transgender patient's neophallus carries unique considerations versus cis-gender IPP placement in mitigating infection, erosion, and overall complication rates. An example of this includes the lack of an anatomical corpus cavernosum and crura for cylinder placement and anchoring. Multiple grafting approaches and materials have been utilized to mitigate possible cylinder instability and improve anchoring. Here we describe our experience and surgical technique in IPP neophallus placement utilizing a single cylinder with distal and proximal cylinder human cadaver pericardium (Tutoplast, IOP Ophthalmics, Costa Mesa, CA, USA) grafts. Our goals were to determine postoperative satisfaction and device functionality in patients undergoing transgender neophallus IPP placement using our technique. Both patients report satisfaction and no complications at last follow-up (currently up to 14 and 23 months post-operatively, respectively) with satisfactory erectile function and ability to perform penetrative intercourse. In neophallus IPP placement, the anatomical differences compared to cis-gender IPP operations require unique considerations such as cylinder grafting material selection for proximal cylinder fixation and mitigation of device erosion rates. Optimization of grafting material in neophallus IPP placement in an effort to reduce erosion rates has become increasingly important as frequency of this operation increases. Utilizing human cadaver pericardium graft in distal and proximal cylinder coverage shows beneficial preliminary outcomes in our patients.
PubMed: 37680230
DOI: 10.21037/tau-22-837 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Aug 2023Prostate cancer is the most common solid-organ malignancy in adult men. Early detection and treatment of prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy (RP) has improved...
BACKGROUND
Prostate cancer is the most common solid-organ malignancy in adult men. Early detection and treatment of prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy (RP) has improved cancer-specific survival but is associated with penile shortening and erectile dysfunction. Penile traction therapy (PTT) has been demonstrated to increase stretched penile length (SPL) prior to penile prosthesis placement and may improve erectile function (EF) in patients with Peyronie's disease. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PTT in preserving penile length and EF after bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury (BCNI) in a rat model.
METHODS
Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 11-13 weeks were randomly assigned to three groups (n=8, each): sham operation with no PTT (Sham), BCNI without PTT (Crush), and BCNI with PTT (Traction). PTT was started on postoperative day 3. A traction force of 1 Newton was applied to the penis for 30 minutes each day for 28 days. After 28 days of traction, the cavernous nerve was stimulated while recording the intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and the mean arterial pressure (MAP) simultaneously. Cavernosal tissue was excised, and western blot analysis for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was performed. Significance was determined by using ANOVA with Tukey-Kruger post-hoc testing.
RESULTS
At 4 weeks after nerve injury, the Traction group had significantly greater SPL compared to the Sham and Crush groups (30 28 and 27 mm, respectively). The Sham group had significantly greater EF (ΔICP/MAP) compared to the Crush group at 2.5, 5, and 7.5 V. The EF of the Traction group was between that of the Sham and Crush groups and was not significantly different from the Sham group at any voltages. Further downstream analysis revealed that the Traction group had significantly greater eNOS expression in cavernosal tissue compared to the Crush group, which was confirmed on western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this animal study suggest that PTT has the potential to mitigate penile retraction after RP. While more studies are needed to determine the effect of PTT on preservation of EF, the increased eNOS expression observed in the Traction group offers a potential protective mechanism of action.
PubMed: 37680223
DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-53 -
Therapeutic Advances in Urology 2023Neurological disease is a known entity for causing erectile dysfunction (ED). Pharmacological therapies are not always effective these patients - penile prosthesis...
INTRODUCTION
Neurological disease is a known entity for causing erectile dysfunction (ED). Pharmacological therapies are not always effective these patients - penile prosthesis implant (PPI) is an established surgical treatment option. For a variety of reasons, neurological patients may experience differing outcomes of PPI compared to those whose ED arises from other causes. We investigated outcomes of PPI in neurological patients using the Italian multi-institutional national registry of penile prostheses [Italian Nationwide Systematic Inventarization of Surgical Treatment for ED (INSIST-ED)].
METHODS
Patients undergoing PPI were investigated the INSIST-ED registry, from 2014 to 2021. Data were prospectively recorded by 45 surgeons on a dedicated website (www.registro.andrologiaitaliana.it) and reviewed by a data manager. We subselected patients with neurological disease undergoing PPI for ED, and these patients were reviewed at 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually thereafter. Postoperative complications and functional outcomes were evaluated through validated questionnaires [International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), Sexual Encounter Profile 2-3, and Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS)]. A nonvalidated questionnaire was administered to assess patient satisfaction.
RESULTS
A total of 33 patients were included with a median age of 49 [interquartile range (IQR) 41-55]. Median follow-up was 83 months (IQR 67-99.5). A penoscrotal approach for PPI was performed in most cases (90.9%), while infrapubic was used in three cases (9.1%). Inflatable and malleable devices were implanted in 30 (90.9%) and 3 cases (9.1%), respectively. Intraoperative complications occurred in one case (3%). Early postoperative complications (<90 days) were observed in three cases (9.1%): two wound dehiscence (Clavien-Dindo G1 and G3a respectively) and one device infection requiring prosthesis explant (Clavien-Dindo G3a). Mechanical failures of inflatable devices were not observed during the follow-up period. Median IIEF-5 before surgery was 8 (IQR 7-9). At the latest follow-up, IIEF-5 was 22 (IQR 19-23.5), and median EDITS was 79 (IQR 64-88). A total of 28 patients (84.8%) self-reported to be fully satisfied with the PPI.
CONCLUSION
Although PPI in the neurological population has been historically considered to be at increased risk, in our study, PPI complications and infections rates in this cohort did not differ from general population.
PubMed: 37664080
DOI: 10.1177/17562872231194921 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Jul 2023
PubMed: 37554531
DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-296 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Jul 2023
PubMed: 37554524
DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-242